The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803
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Accessions Shelf ^o. if.ri FRl&M THE |f htUti& JMnnit /^ '^a/^ 'immmasmfHitimm CAUTION Do not write in this book or mark it with pen or pencil. Penalties are imposed by the Revised Laws of the Commonwealth of Mas- sachusetts, Chapter 208, Section 83. B.P.L. FORM NO. 609; 6.24.26; 400H. '..miiBSitnmwjmimii' The PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 1493-1898 Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and their Peoples, their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as related in contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, showing the Political, Eco- nomic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of those Islands from their earliest relations with European Nations to the close of the Nineteenth Century TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINALS Edited and annotated by Emma Helen Blair and James Alexander Robertson, with historical intro- duction and additional notes by Edward Gaylord Bourne. With maps, portraits and other illustrations Volume XXXVII—166(^-1676 The Arthur H. Clark Company Cleveland, Ohio MCMVI no<* '.? CONTENTS OF VOLUME XXXVII Preface 9 Miscellaneous Documents, 1669- 1676 Events in Filipinas, 1668. [Unsigned; Francisco de Figueroa?] ; Manila, Jan- uary 15, 1669 23 The Dominicans in the Philippines, 1641- 69. Baltasar de Santa Cruz, O.P. ; 1676. [From his Historia.'] . .64 The Augustinians in the Philippines, 1641- 70. Casimiro Diaz, O.S.A. ; Manila, 1718. [From his Conquistas.^ . 149 Manila and the Philippines about 1650 (to be concluded) . Domingo Fernandez Navarrete, O.P. ; Madrid, 1676. [From his Tratados historicos.~\ . 285 Bibliographical Data 307 ILLUSTRATIONS Map of the Philippine Islands, showing prov- ince of the Order of the Hermits of St. Au- gustine; photographic facsimile of engraving in Lubin's Orbis Augustinianus. ordinis eremitarum Sancti Augustini (Paris, 1639), map 37; from copy in Library of Congress. 147 Plan of Manila Cathedral prior to 1750; photo- graphic facsimile from original manuscript in Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla. 201 Plan of Manila Cathedral, showing the new structure building in 1754; photographic facsimile from original manuscript in Ar- chivo general de Indias, Sevilla. 205 Digitized by tine Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Boston Public Library http://www.archive.org/details/philippineisland37blai PREFACE Most of this volume is occupied with accounts of the Dominican and Augustinian missions in the islands during the period 1641-70; they are enabled to maintain fairly flourishing activities by the aid of new reenforcements. These chronicles also contain, as usual, much interesting secular information; the most important occurrences in the secular affairs of the islands are the ri§e and fall of Governor Fa- jardo's favorite Venegas, and the arrest of Governor Diego Salcedo by the Inquisition (at the instance of Auditor Bonifaz, who then usurps the govern- ment). The latter incident is related in detail by a Spanish officer imprisoned by the usurper. A document of especial human interest is a letter (January 15, 1669) written from the dungeons of Fort Santiago in Manila, by an unnamed officer im- prisoned therein by the usurping auditor Bonifaz. He relates in full the arrest (1668) of Governor Diego de Salcedo by the commissary of the Inquisi- tion, the usurpation of the government of the islands by Bonifaz, and the imprisonment of him- self and other loyalists on suspicion of attempting to rescue the governor from durance. The attitude of the writer is unusual, for at the outset he announces his gratitude and loyalty to his patron, Salcedo's lO THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS [Vol.37 predecessor, Manrique de Lara, then under charges - from which he was later acquitted - in his resi- dencia; and he speaks of Salcedo without any blame or resentment, although the governor had deprived him of his military command. This document is freely annotated from another contemporary ac- count, long and diffuse ; the two cast much light on political and religious affairs in Manila at the time, especially on the possibilities for evil embodied in the Inquisition. Extracts from Santa Cruz's Historia (Zaragoga, 1693) cover the history of the Dominican order in the Philippines for 1641-69. Fray Francisco de Paula is elected provincial in 1641, at which time the order has barely enough religious to fill its act- ual ministries - a lack which is afterward supplied as an answer to prayer. The location of the Parian is changed, in 1640; and the entire quarter is de- stroyed by fire, two years later. In 1644 Diego de Fajardo comes to the islands as governor - under whom they "tasted all sorts of government." The chief events of his term of office are recounted, and the more important transactions of the Dominican chapter-sessions of 1647 and 1650. In the former year dies the aged provincial, Fray Domingo Gon- zalez; he is succeeded by Fray Carlos Gant. In 1648 a patache reaches the islands in safety, although it has to be burned, immediately after unlading, to save it from the Dutch ; but those enemies thereupon leave the islands, which they have not since infested. This vessel also brings a reenforcement of thirty Dominican religious, which greatly encourages the missionaries; and various ecclesiastical favors and concessions. Santa Cruz recounts the more import- 1669-1676] PREFACE II ant acts of the provincial chapter-session of 1650, and furnishes biographical sketches of many Do- minican missionaries in the islands. He then pro- ceeds to relate the arrest and death of Fajardo's quondam favorite Venegas. In 1652 Fray Pedro de Ledo becomes provincial; at this same chapter-session is formally announced the erection of Santo Tomas college into a univer- sity; and the mission of Ituy is more fully organized. The savage mountaineers of that region are well de- scribed by our author; their conversion is a difficult matter. In 1653 distinguished personages arrive at Manila, including Governor Manrique de Lara and Archbishop Poblete. The Dominican chapter enact that every lecturer in their university must know at least one of the native languages. In 1654 attempt is made, but fruitlessly, to send a mission to Japan; finally, five missionaries succeed in reaching China, where they labor zealously to convert the heathen. The provincial chosen in 1656 is Fray Jacinto Gali, but he dies soon afterward, while visit- ing Cagayan; his place is taken by Fray Lucas Montanero. On August 20, 1658, occurs an earth- quake, itself more severe than that of 1645, but its succeeding shocks being lighter. The Dominican convent is badly injured, and the friars with diffi- culty find lodgings. A large reenforcement of missionaries arrives in this same year. At the chap- ter-session of 1659, the Dominicans refuse to permit their missionaries in China to accept offering of lands, fearing that the Chinese may regard them as actuated by selfish motives. At that of 1661, Fray Felipe Pardo (afterward famous as commissary of the Inquisition and as archbishop of Manila) is 12 THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS [VqL 37 elected provincial. Two years later, arrangements are made for printing a ritual for use by the mis- sionaries of the order. In the same year (1663) Salcedo arrives at Manila as governor; his career is briefly reviewed. The provincial elected in 1665 is Fray Juan de los Angeles ; and in the following year thirty-nine more Dominicans join their brethren in Filipinas. The ship which brings them is detained by bad weather on the coast of Samar, where a Jesuit missionary shows them all most generous hospitality, refusing any compensation. A letter from the head of the Dominican order to Morales is reproduced. In 1667 Archbishop Poblete dies at Manila, after fourteen years' service. In that year the intermediary chapter-session is held, at which measures are taken to restrain the members of the order from unauthorized interference with, or cen- sure of, the civil government. Two more Domini- cans arrive from Mexico in 1668, and the remark- able escape of one of them, with several other Spaniards, from death by shipwreck is related. Several friars proceed, amid great difficulties, to the Chinese missions. The Dominicans are laboring among the Zambales, many of whom become Christians and settle in mission villages; and they hope that they may soon do the same for the heathen Irrayas. An account of the Augustinian friars in the Philippines for 1641-70 is furnished by Casimiro Diaz in his Conquistas. At the chapter-session of 1641, Fray Geronimo de Medrano is elected pro- vincial. Soon afterward. Archbishop Guerrero dies; a sketch of his life and character is presented by Diaz. Three years later, Medrano is succeeded by 1 669-1676] PREFACE 13 Fray Alonso Carvajal; and Diego Fajardo comes as governor of the islands, his personal and official character being outlined by our writer. The threats of the Dutch, and their conquest of Hermosa, fill the Spaniards with great anxiety. Unfortunately, Fajardo is dominated by the influence of a favorite, Venegas, to which very ill results are attributed. The peace made with the Moros is only temporary; for when they see the Spaniards so harried by the Dutch they again infest the Visayas. The Acapulco galleons arrive safely, although the Dutch ships lie in wait for them. One of them carries the new arch- bishop of Manila, who dies just before reaching the islands. In 1647 the Augustinians choose Fray Diego de Ordas as their provincial. Soon after- ward, they decide to establish in Mexico a hospice for their religious who must halt there on their journey from Spain to the Philippines.^ In this same year the Dutch finally cease to molest those islands; and in Jolo they are, although favored by the natives, unable to dislodge the Spaniards. They are also foiled in an attack on Zamboanga. An Augustinian friar is killed by the Negritos, of which people Diaz gives an interesting description; this murder is afterward avenged by Heaven, all con- cerned in it becoming lepers.